Defining Gender Based Violence

The first international definition of gender-based violence was the United Nations
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) .
This defined gender-based violence as any act that results in, or is likely to result in, physical,
sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion
or arbitrary deprivations of liberty, whether occurring in private or public life violence against
women shall be understood to encompass, but not be limited to, physical, sexual and
psychological violence occurring in the family, the community, including battery, sexual
abuse of female children, dowry-related violence, marital rape, female genital mutilation and
other traditional practices harmful to women, non-spousal violence, violence related to
exploitation, sexual harassment and intimidation at work, in educational institutions and
elsewhere, trafficking in women, forced prostitution, and violence against women perpetrated
and condoned by the state.

The CEDAW definition grew out of many years of activism, lobbying, and contestation about
definitions and concepts. Part of the struggle against gender-based violence has therefore
involved naming and conceptualising it because it has often been un-named,
hidden or marginalised in public life. Both in South Africa and beyond, the
conceptualisation of gender-based violence has been limited in different ways. Three of
these limitations, and the way they pose needs for reconceptualization, deserve
attention here. A first is the way that early definitions focused simply on women as
victims and men as perpetrators. This understanding is implicit in the term
"violence against women". Merely defining men as "perpetrators" does not really
acknowledge how different psychologically and physically harmful acts are propelled by
social institutions and learned behaviour. As Jane Bennett writes: "the challenge for
South Africans committed to the transformation of oppressive social norms is to
untangle both 'victim' and 'perpetrator' from their terrible interlock of violence,
no matter how shocking the 'perpetration' or how resonant the
'victimhood/survivorship'" (Bennett, 2000). In contrast to the term "violence against
women", "gender-based violence" reminds us that we are dealing with violence stemming
from how men and women acquire gendered behaviour and statuses through {socialisation}.
"Gender-based violence" therefore focuses on the root causes, rather than the symptoms of
violence.
Gender based Violence Diagram

GBV

Gender a→( 1. Biological 2.Socially Construed)

Patriarchy

Gender Inequality

Learned Behaviour

Community Attitude
Why GBV Happens-
GBV happens in two area's-

1.private

2. Public

As we seen ours is patriarchal culture so Women are facing more violence than men. Global
reports are staying in today, where 8 women out of 10 is facing GBV other side 2 out of 10
men are also facing GBV.

why it happens -

Power & Control: particularly in patriarchal societies where men are traditionally seen as
authority figures. They dominate other members in the family being the provider for the
family.

Cultural Norms: In some communities, violence is wrongly normalized or accepted as a

way to resolve conflict or assert control. Superstition is key holder in this part.

Inequality: Gender inequality—where one gender is viewed as lesser or weaker—creates

conditions where abuse can occur and be tolerated.

Economic Dependence: When someone is financially dependent on a partner, they may feel
trapped and unable to escape abusive situations.

Lack of Education: Limited knowledge about rights and healthy relationships can lead to
harmful behaviours or acceptance of violence.

Trauma & Mental Health: People with unresolved trauma or untreated psychological
conditions may be more prone to abusive actions.

Impunity & Weak Legal Systems: If perpetrators aren't held accountable, it sends a signal
that violence is acceptable or without consequence.
Example on how GBV happens :

• In south Asiatic culture it's commonly patriarchal culture where men plays leading
role in family and he forbids his wife/ sister/daughter from working, controls all
household finances, and isolates her From the outside world. He uses threats or
physical violence when she challenges his authority. This behaviour isn't just about
anger—it's about exerting control and reinforcing dominance. The woman’s autonomy
is systematically stripped away, making her dependent and vulnerable.
• In south Asian culture Hitting a women, beating a Women, Burnt them is being a
regular habitat for men whether It could be a wife, a daughter, a mother or any
Female. In recent, It's published in newspapers and visualised through social media
that how a husband murdered his wife by Hurting her for a silly reason like why she
made salty food. So this kind of scenario is common nowadays but It's as serious
issue and domestic violence at the same time.
• Dowry related GBV is mostly seen in south Asiatic culture. Not only husband but also
other in- laws demand expensive things from bride and beat them and torture them for
dowry.
• Most of the female commonly face racism and GBV both at the same time from their
in-laws which led them into mental abusive behaviour.
• Beating a woman and forcefully drag her with other men (force to sex) for money or
any business profit is also a scenarios that takes part into GBV by their own husband.
• Forcefully pushing a teenage or a married women into prostitution for money by their
own family members is also a GBV.
• Physically unable to do something or giving birth is a curse for women which push
them into living hell in GBV. Like the Famous 'Molla barir Bou' a Bangladeshi
cinema portray the rural View on GBV.
• Inequality for sibling is the most common culture where a boy can eat proper
wholesome neutrino, have goodies, proper Education, rights to play, go outside but a
girl have less than her brother by saying that 'he's a boy, he'll provide us so give your
portion to your brother also. A pathetic scenario where a adolescent face the GBV at
her home. UNICEF portray this through 'MEENA' cartoon.
• Women are being dominated by their male colleagues having the same requirement
still don't get promotion is nothing new.
 • Teenage girl, working Women to any old woman have the trauma and fear about the
public transportation because of harassment, Bullying and molestation.
• Where Smoking zone seen easily in every there after but there's no breastfeeding
room in any mall or any Public place not even in Court this is the state a woman have
isn't bare thing in GBV.
• Where parliament have special seat for female but Woman entrepreneurs are under
privileged though It's profitable country's Economic Sector.
• 70% garment worker is Woman but still they get paid less than men is blindly
Violence not only gender but also human rights.
• Football, Cricket or any female teams doesn't have right amount of sponsorship and
Governments also Reserve less for them is not equality but in present Female players
being more better than Male players.
• There's less amount of female students who get the opportunities for higher studies
from Government.
• Everywhere There's Public washroom for men but rarely for women.
• There's fewer Worship place for woman is also a clear discrimination.
• There's every where SME (Small Enterprise) ran by men but women hands down here
by being bully.
• There's only male drivers we can notice is also a Discrimination against women.
• Film and Media is similarly a curse for women where in every step they have been
molested.
• Being blackmailed by sharing private picture is the most common for a Female either
It's a adolescent or a college going girl.
• Artificial Intelligence is being used here also against Woman portraying there fake
images are led females into grave.

GBV is a major problem in Bangladesh, especially in the context of domestic violence and
child marriage. According to UNFPA, about 73% of married women have experienced GBV
at least once in their lives
Global Overview

• 1 in 3 women worldwide have experienced physical or sexual violence, often by an

intimate partner.
• Femicide killing of women due to the Action and reached a record high in 2023, with
over 84,900 women killed globally.
• Countries with the highest GBV rates include India, Afghanistan, Syria, Somalia,
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Yemen, Nigeria, and the USA.

USA

• 1 in 4 women face GBV in their lifetime through their intimate partner which is IPV.
• They face Violence in school, workplace, homes.

Kenya

• Justice Access in Marginalized Regions

• A gender and children’s desk was launched in Baringo County to support survivors of
GBV and child abuse.
• The desk offers legal aid, medical referrals, and safe shelter access, especially in
underserved areas

Papua New Guinea

• Nearly 60% of women and girls have experienced sexual violence twice the global
average
Philippines

• The Commission on Human Rights recorded 40 GBV-related interventions in the first

half of 2025.
• Most cases involved rape, sexual abuse, and violence against minors and individuals.

South Africa

• in a Global Context Internationally, campaigns, lobbying and activism have led to

growing international success in firmly positioning gender-based violence in the
public sphere. Several provisions within CEDAW apply to gender-based violence.
While all countries have not signed this convention, and while some have signed with
reservations about key provisions, this international instrument has been a crucial tool
for activism and lobbying at national levels, and for facilitating collaborations and
support across national borders.

Legislation
There are 1,718 legislative measures across 188 countries to address violence against
women and girls Forms of Violence Addressed by National
action.

Source:

UN website, Newspaper, Media, Research papers, Cambridge University, Oxford University

this information has been given.